Mixed Drinks
by GilmoreGirlAddict
Summary: When you mix your drinks, you end up regretting it in the morning. [ZxM][AU]


**Mixed Drinks**

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

She came with her boyfriend, Eric Montgomery the Third. Oh yes, the _third_. And the youngest of three children, each boys. Each named Eric. And thus, he was Eric Montgomery the Third. It still baffled her that they would name all three of their children Eric, for it seemed very odd and unusual. Although, that may have just been the way it was with the rich people.

She could have hardly cared less about Eric Montgomery the third, but she needed the money he let her have to pay off her rent. As he put it, "I can't let my girlfriend be homeless." It might sound like she was using him but-- No, nevermind. She was definitely using him. But what could she say? As the saying goes, a girl's got to do what a girl's got to do.

The party was full of people, all laughing or talking, all having a great time. The room was huge, big enough for two bars and atleast two hundred people. It was for the rich. Everyone wore elegant dresses or expensive tuxedos, looking like they were more for show than for people to actually wear. But they wore them anyway, as if the amount of money going into them was no problem. And that made her uncomfortable.

She excused herself from Eric Montgomery the Third and made her way to a bar, ordering a simple martini. A sigh escaped her lips right before she took a sip of the drink, her eyes scanning the rich crowd, feeling out of place, even in her expensive blue dress and professionally done hair and make-up. She just wasn't one of those people. She wasn't the type that went to every formal event, she didn't have enough money to pay rent. She had never been the girl to dress in elegant gowns every day as if they were jeans and a t-shirt. No. She wasn't raised that way, and she would never be that way.

The twenty-seven year old took another sip of her drink, praying to God that the party would end soon.

-----------------------

He stood near the center of the room, beer bottle in hand, talking to a group of people that had gathered around. "I don't care what they say," he argued. "He doesn't have what it takes. I know it. He's going to go through a year or two and then quit. I know what I'm talking about."

"I must agree," another man piped up. "You might be new to the business, kid, but you sure know what you're doing. Nobody can argue with me on that one, I wouldn't say."

"Come on, Paul, I'm only a lawyer. It really isn't that hard," he said modestly, taking another sip out of his half-full beer bottle. From the looks of things, this was about to become a heated discussion, a debate if you will. He knew that the new kid didn't have what it took to survive in the real world, he knew that this new kid had no idea what it would take to be the best. But he also knew that Mark, James, and Derek thought differently.

"That kid has all the talent in the world, though," Mark argued. "He's sharp as a knife."

"A dull knife," the twenty-four year old retorted only a second after Mark got the words out.

"He's logical," Derek added. "He can solve Sudoku puzzles in a matter of minutes."

"Big deal," Paul replied. "A silly game has nothing to do with court."

"His father is Aaron Montgomery," James added slowly. "That adds alot."

"Mmhmm, he's a daddy's boy." He took another sip of his drink and looked at his buddies as Derek added another pro, just to be met by another con. A small smirk formed on his lips. They never learned.

-----------------------

She ordered another drink, this time asking the bartender to mix the vodka she requested with some tequila. After a few pleads, he finally agreed, handing over the drink to her, which she immediately took a few sips of. Had she not already been drunk, she would have thought it tasted to nasty to continue drinking, but since she was drunk her tastebuds were slightly off and thus she didn't mind the taste so much. But as she drank it, it felt good to her, feeling that sensation come over her. For a moment her head pounded, but it was quickly replaced with the feeling that she was floating on a cloud. She immediately asked for a refill of that exact thing, giving the bartender five dollars to hurry it up. And thus, he agreed without a fight, handing her the drink, which she quickly gulped down.

When she finished her refill she stood up, grabbing the counter to steady herself. When her balanced was restored she walked around aimlessly, looking for something to do to occupy herself. '_You can always go back to the bar,' _she thought.

-----------------------

"Hey guys," he said, breaking their argument, "I'm gonna get a refill."

"Alright, Zack, whatever," James said as they delved back into their debate. Zack shook his head, that small smirk forming on his face again. James and the others didn't really care. Well, Paul might, but that was probably only because without Zack, he was probably getting his ass kicked in the debate against Paul, Mark, and Derek. Three against one; the odds weren't good.

Throwing his empty beer can in the trash, Zack walked up to the bartender and asked for a mix of their strongest drink and beer. The bartender agreed after a bit of arguing, during which Zack threatened the man, saying "I could get you fired," to which the bartender had replied, "Oh yeah, and why?" A small smirk had formed on Zack's face at that, especially at the shocked look on the bartender's face when he said, "Because, I'm Zack Martin and I hold incredible power over many people." At that the bartender had vigorously apologized, fixing the drink as quickly as possible.

It was when he was walking back to his friends when he saw her, looking lost among the crowd of people. He walked up to her, a small smile on his face as he asked her, "Need help finding something, or someone?"

She had looked up at him, at his slightly messy blond hair and his kind face before saying with a slightly slurred voice, "And if I do?"

"Then I could help you look," he had replied, taking a long sip of his mixed drink and the slightly bad taste that came from it. But the affects of the drink made him want more and more, and he took longer sips, making sure to pause in between to look at her.

"Um, no thanks. I'm fine... Just looking for something to do."

"You look awfully uncomfortable here," Zack commented, taking a very long sip of his drink as he neared running out of alcohol.

"I was never raised around a lot of money, I didn't grow up in society," she admitted.

"Oh?" he questioned, prodding her to continue with her story.

"Yeah.. I'm used to wearing jeans and t-shirts, or the occasional skirt and dressy shirt. Not something as elegant and divine as this." She moved her hands up and down in front of her, signalling her dress.

"Well then, who did you come with?"

"Why do you assume that I came with someone?"

"Because, if you, as you say, have very little money, then you must have come with someone with a lot."

"Eric Montgomery the Third."

"The third?"

"Yes, the third. He has two brothe--"

"Oh, I know the story. Eric the third is going to be a lawyer."

"How'd you know?"

"Oh, I know. I'm Zackary Martin, or more commonly known as Zack Martin. Eric wants to join the firm I'm in."

"Ah."

"Yes. Now, it seems only fitting that since you know my name, I should know your's."

"I'm Madeline Fitzpatrick, although everyone calls me Maddie."

"I see. Well, Maddie, I can help you find Eric the third if you would like for me to."

"No," she replied quickly, so quickly that a smirk played on Zack's lips. "That will not be necessary."

"You mean to tell me that you are trying to avoid Eric Montgomery the Third, even though, as you have told me, he is your date and I would figure your boyfriend?" Zack raised an eyebrow and took a sip of his drink, his eyes never leaving the beautiful young woman in front of him.

"Yes."

"I see. Too annoying for your taste, then? I would say that he goes on and on and on with you much more than he did me or my boss. Plus he'd shoot a weird glance at everyone he saw, like he was expecting someone to suddenly jump out and attack him."

"He's a very nervous man, Zackary," Maddie replied, suddenly becoming very formal and proper. "He cannot help it, it is just the way he is."

"And you seem to be very drunk, _Madeline_. No one except his father would ever stand up for Eric Montgomery -- the Third, of course -- and that is the way it is supposed to be and will always be. There is no need to change that."

"Oh, but as his girlfriend, I believe there is."

"As the person that he will need to get on his side before he could last as a lawyer, I believe that there isn't."

"Why would he need _you_ of all people on his side?"

"It is the firm at which I work at that he wishes to join. I am a very big person in the company, no matter how little years I have worked there. If he wants to last, he would need me to persuade the boss that he could do it. And as it seems, he cannot."

"How much do you know?"

"Almost everything."

"Almost?"

"Well, I didn't know that he had you as a girlfriend, but other than that the other thing I didn't know was that he had someone other than his daddy to stand up for him. I know all there is to know about his social status, his grades, his abilities, strengths, weaknesses, and so forth."

"Oh, is that so?"

"Yes, it is," Zack replied, taking a step towards her.

"I'd say that you don't know anything but his grades. You don't know what type of man he is."

"Oh, and that'd be what? Annoying, nervous, freaked, a bed-wetter, someone who's afraid of the dark?"

Maddie blushed, then said, "Uh.. no, that's... that's not it at all."

"Oh, but I think it is."

"I'm... I'm going to get another drink." She nervously scurried off, making Zack chuckle as he walked back to the bar to get another strong drink, then back his friends. He'd catch up with her later.

-----------------------

"I'm serious, guys," Paul said, the only sober one of the group. "She likes Zack."

"She does not, they only talked for ten minutes, and mostly about her boyfriend," Derek argued, his words slurred.

"That's true," Zack agreed, rubbing a hand through his blond hair, his head aching from the amount of drink he had had. But he took another sip of his vodka, letting it trickle down his throat and stop the throbbing in his head for a few seconds. "We talked about Eric Montgomery the Third."

James, Derek, Mark and Paul all started to laugh. "Her boyfriend is Eric Montgomery the _Third?" _Mark questioned, still chuckling. "The First or the Second would be believable, but the _Third? _Sad, sad girl._"_

"But you all saw her," James put in. "She was hot. She could probably have any guy here with the snap of a finger."

"She could have me," Paul agreed.

"Me too," Derek added.

"Or me," Mark said, a small smile on his face.

"Or all of us," James added. "I mean, none of the men in here would hesitate to go on a date with her. Unless they're old and married, of course."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Zack said, rolling his eyes in an annoyed gesture. "What happened to the debate about whether or not Eric Montgomery the Third would make it as a lawyer or not?"

"That went away, Zack. It's a part of the past." Paul clapped his hand on Zack's back, putting on a disappointed face.

"And what would you know, Paul?"

"I'd know that the girl's checkin' you out, Zack."'

"She is not."

"Is too."

"Why would she?"

"Because she's dating Eric Montgomery the Third. You're way better than him." Everyone in the small group as Paul spoke that, giving him an odd, slightly disgusted look.

"An old man, half-dead, is better than Eric Montgomery the Third," Paul covered, blushing slightly.

"Oh yeah, now I feel special."

"I didn't mean it like that."

"Whatever."

"Well, go talk to her," Mark urged, as Paul lightly pushed him in Maddie's direction.

"Fine," Zack muttered, holding in a slight smile as he walked over to the bar that Maddie was sitting at, ordering another vodka as she ordered some tequila.

"I see you're back," Maddie muttered, staring at her glass.

"Yeah, I guess I am. You don't sound that happy about it." Zack took a sip of his drink, a long sip, his eyes looking at Maddie over the top of his glass.

"Well, I'm not." She grabbed her drink and stood up, walking to the middle of the room. Zack smirked and followed her. '_Playing hard to get. I like that,' _he thought, as he said, "Aw, don't act like that. I don't bite."

"How do I know that?"

"You gotta trust me."

"Why would I trust you?"

"Laywers can be trusted."

Maddie was silent. "How do I know you're a lawyer?" she finally asked.

Zack chuckled. "You've never heard of Zack Martin?"

"Well... yeah.."

"That's me, surprised you already forgot."

"Well, I did."

"Nice to know I'm remembered," he said sarcastically.

"Yeah, whatever."

"Eric hasn't come looking for you yet?" Zack's voice was suddenly filled with concern as he took a small step towards her.

"No," she admitted, looking at the floor.

"Where would you think he is?"

"I - I don't know." She paused for a second, glancing around the room. Her eyes finally stopped on a slightly short, dark-haired man. "There." She pointed towards him, and Zack's eyes followed her finger. "Flirting with that girl." Her face suddenly fell as she sighed and stared at her feet again.

"Does he do that alot?"

"Quite often."

"Wow."

"I know. Sometimes he'll sleep with them, too, or go out on a 'date'. The next day he'll tell me, or I'll figure it out some other way."

"Why don't you break up with him then?"

"I need the money he gives me."

"So you're using him?"

"He's just using me too."

"For what?" She was silent, continuing to stare at her feet, a blush creeping onto her face in embarassment. "Oh.." he said quietly, finally getting it. "I see." She took a few steps towards him, leaning her face on his chest. She opened her mouth to speak, but the only thing that came out were sobs. "Shh..." he comforted, enveloping her in a hug. "Come on, I've got a room just upstairs... I'll make some mac and cheese, it's comfort food and it's one of the few things I can make.."

She dried her tears, looking up at him and smiling weakly. "Thanks," she whispered, as he grabbed her hand lightly and took her to the elevator, where he pressed in the buttons for the third floor.

"Here we are," he stated as he opened his hotel room door, revealing a slightly small but cozy living room, which was connected to the kitchen. Near the kitchen was a washer and a dryer. There were three doors in various places. One leading to a bathroom, the other two leading to the bedrooms. He walked towards the kitchen. "Make yourself comfortable, I'll start the mac and cheese." He took two bottles of vodka from the cupboard, got wine glasses, then poured some of the alcohol into each glass. He handed one of the glasses to Maddie, and kept the other to himself. He then got out some Easy Mac and started to make the dinner.

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**A/N: **This will probably be only a two-shot. I know that this chapter was kinda long, and probably pretty boring, but I tried. And by the way, this is definitely AU.


End file.
